There are no plans to get rid of Alain Vigneault

[chuckd3534]

Larry Brooks reports that the Rangers have no plans to dismiss Alain Vigneault as head coach. (NY Post)

He writes that there is no indication from "anyone who counts" that the Rangers hold Vigneault responsible for the "disappointing finish or the difficult season that preceded it." (NY Post)

Brooks writes that Vigneault will need to change his approach next season and become more "emotionally engaged" and become more of a motivating factor as it's like he will "have a younger group to coach." (NY Post)

Vigneault will enter into the fourth-year of a reported five-year deal that he signed when the Rangers hired him.

 

[chuckd3534]

And rightfully so IMO.

It is the definition of kneejerk to fire a coach who for the first time here didn't at least make the ECF. And I say this as not a huge AV guy, and someone who is in the middle on him and would not be angry if he got fired. But I just don't think it is the right move or the right precedent to be setting that your coach is canned the first time he doesn't at least make the ECF.

With that said, AV needs to do a much better job next season...I believe that for sure.

 

[kreidertime]

Heard that about Torts. Exit interviews can change everything. Brooks knows nothing about what the front office will do as does anybody else.

 

[chuckd3534]

That's the one shot. If the players bury him during exit interviews. And I think that is unlikely. We'll see though.

 

[kreidertime]

I do not expect him to be fired. Not after the previous 2 years. However, should the team falter again next year, he's done.

 

[chuckd3534]

Agree 100% dump. And I think that is very fair.

I also hope AV learned a couple of things this season. Everything I have read so far says the Rangers will try and get younger, so AV needs to play to that.

Just by letting the UFA's walk we are getting younger. Moore out and Lindberg in. Boyle out and McIlrath in. And Skjei in somewhere as well be it for Yandle or Staal. So we are younger right out of the gate. BUT AV needs to trust and play these guys.

Skjei will for sure, but McIlrath also needs to be a top 6 fixture...and I expect he will be, but AV needs to accept that and play into it.

I am a believer that the Rangers can learn and grow from this loss. Last season was worst case because it gave false hope. Oh so close...game 7 ECF...and we were injured...what if we were healthy. So we stayed the course, and that was wrong.

Now this summer I believe you will see 6 or 7 different players here. I think most/all of the UFA's will walk. I believe you will see at least one of Staal/G/Nash gone. You will see changes. You will see some youth with Buch, Skjei, McIlrath, and Lindberg as a start. And honestly I have a sneaky feeling we will be better for it next season, and we could get right back to the ECF and beyond depending on how we play this offseason.

This season could turn out to be one step back to take two steps forward next season. We have youth here outside of the UFA's and Hank. This core is still in their mid/late 20's, that is still prime and ready to win. Supplement that with a couple of extra kids I mentioned, and the right couple of moves this summer, and I can see us back up top next season, and even hungrier.

 

[Messiah717]

AV has two years left on his contract so next year is critical for him. Whatever the roster ends up being improvements will have to be seen or else he's coming back as a lame duck coach which is never a good situation. Given the body of work I feel he deserves another year and the players at some point have to be held accountable. Torts was blasted by the players and sent out of town. The shouldn't get to do that again three years later.

 

[theProdigy223]

I said in another thread I think he should be fired after those efforts in games 4 and 5, but I doubt he will be. He'll get another shot to adapt based on his recent resume.

However, look at this article written just after he was fired from the Canucks:

http://vancouversun.com/news/community-blogs/why-canuck-coach-alain-vigneault-deserved-to-be-fired

Lack of 60 minute efforts following their SCF appearance, poor young player development, youngsters who could never get out of the doghouse, playoff failures despite good regular seasons, inflated point totals because of strong goaltending...yikes this is sounding familiar

 

[chuckd3534]

No doubt there are some concerns...but I think he deserves to be back next year. But he needs to learn from this year and follow some of the things I/we have mentioned.

 

[Disturbed]

Wow Prod - That article is super interesting and there are some unfortunate parallels from Vancouver

 

[Messiah717]

The thing to keep in mind is that coaches and managers are hired to be fired and usually there's never a good ending. There's very few Bill Belichick or Greg Popovich types in sports who seemingly have pro jobs with their franchises until they decide to leave on their own. If you take coaches who have been with several franchises usually you're going to hear the same stories whenever the parting of minds takes place.

 

[RagFan4Ever]

Maybe A V needs some different coaching help. Ulf may ready to be replaced and Arnell if he was the PK and designer of the power play has to be replaced.

 

[Disturbed]

Totally agree Mess - It's not really a bad thing. But there are some eeries similarities to the Vancouver and Ranger playoff runs

 

[chuckd3534]

I think Ulf was D and PK. Arniel was PP and forwards I believe.

Both have been mentioned for coaching jobs. We'll see if there are any changes. I would expect at least one...but who knows.

To me it is simple with AV. He deserves to be back IMO, but he has got to be told we are going younger so these kids have to play. Buch, McIlrath, Lindberg, and Skjei to start with.

 

[Rangers94]

I'm all for AV being fired, but not because of this playoff season. It's because, as I've stated all season long and Prod posted an article about it, if you look at AV's record in Vancouver, you can see a CLEAR parallel to this team. I doubt he gets fired, which I can totally understand, but I think if this team struggles out of the gate next season, I could easily see AV being fired during the season.

 

[cagedlion]

As a Ranger fan, The Championship
window is closed shut. First, AV's
decisions are very questionable. This
team does not have a gamer forward who
can change a game. Look how this hockey
organization builds a team......they continually have traded top[#1 & 2] picks
for what 'they think are top players'......
has not worked out in terms of obtaining
The Stanley Cup.
The backline has aged quickly. Lundy
needs less work; getting a shutout was
impossible with what he had playing in front of him. Special teams sucked all
year....and that totally lies on the head
coach.
Going into these playoffs, never did I feel
confident about this team even with
101 points during regular season.
Too many negatives from the coaching to
the players.

It will be interesting to see how Gorton
tries to open that escapable Championship
window. I wonder if he has a plan to get
this team back on track.

This team does not have a #1 center.
Brassard is a #2 & Stepan needs to be moved to wing (could not win face offs).
Where is all the forward speed?
Where are the tough forwards? AV kept
one on the bench the last half of the
year. There's no toughness on defense.
Kept McIlrath on the bench. Why?
AV, for me, is too laid back. FCOL,
get in a ref's ear and let him have it.

And what really disturbed me was
watching some players on the Ranger
bench smiling as they're being drubbed
5-0 at home in a playoff game. I do not
care who you are, I'd get them out of
town real fast.

 

[Rangers94]

I said in another thread I think he should be fired after those efforts in games 4 and 5, but I doubt he will be. He'll get another shot to adapt based on his recent resume.

However, look at this article written just after he was fired from the Canucks:

http://vancouversun.com/news/community-blogs/why-canuck-coach-alain-vigneault-deserved-to-be-fired

Lack of 60 minute efforts following their SCF appearance, poor young player development, youngsters who could never get out of the doghouse, playoff failures despite good regular seasons, inflated point totals because of strong goaltending...yikes this is sounding familiar

These are ALL things I have said, yet I get told I know nothing and told I'm overreacting. I wasn't saying AV should be fired because he's an awful head coach, I'm saying he should be gone because I've seen this act from him before with Vancouver and I know how it ends. Next season we will most likely be even worse than we were this season, unless someone like Stamkos is here. Outside of that, there is no way that this team, with its makeup and coaching, does as well or better than this season.

 

[mrmel29]

AV should be gone cause as history showed in vancouver and unless your blind to what you saw this season its already happening here team just goes downhill each year. He sucks with young players both in vancouver and here and will be very hard to be positive about the rangers if he's back next year. Hate the team being remade to a degree on AV's wishes when he could be gone by christmas if he does come back. Expect fully Hank and probably others to bury him in the exit interviews. Hank can't survive as an elite goalie with his defensive philosophy. He has no adjustment strategy once the game starts which you see over and over again, shows no emotion on the bench with the refs especially when he needs to show emotion and his blind loyalty to unproductive veterans when younger players show on the ice their better and deserve to play instead is mind boggling. If Gorton brings him back imo that will be one black mark for him going into the next season. This team needs major retooling going forward and it starts with a new coach. And Brooks said Torts was safe also until the exit interviews started.

 

[Stepupstepan]

Does not matter who they are going to bring in. AV better make some adjustments to his system, methods, gameplans and etc or he will be gone. The league has caught up to him and his system. I said it numerous times during the season. It is his turn now to adjust. And he better not to play his boy Tanner Glass every single game and let hungry guys like Hrivik play.

 

[mrmel29]

Step, as the saying goes a leopard doesn't change his spots or some shit like that. Hoping Montreal or another team calls gorton for AV's services and he happily lets him go. Have NO CONFIDENCE with AV and young players.

 

[Stepupstepan]

Anyway, what do we fans know. The hockey bozos who run this organization should be making smart decisions, not that I trust them. The owner is a freaking moron when it comes to running a winning franchise. He just let a big name like Sather run it based on his success with the Oilers of the 80th.

 

[Messiah717]

What case history turned Rich Nash into a pumpkin in the playoffs when the team needed him the most? If Nash played like the superstar he's paid to be then they might of won a cup. And the exit interview obsession is becoming comical. These clowns got their way three years ago with Torts. It's not a black eye on anybody if they're not allowed to do so again. The inmates don't constantly get to run the asylum. Not to mention I've heard nothing about any rift AV has with players or any players wanting him out. It's time to hold the players accountable. Roster changes are clearly needed and hopefully Gorton is up to the task so this team can move forward positively.

 

[Stepupstepan]

They got their way with Torts because they got tired of his ways treating the players like dirt. He was a complete dick to Hagelin during that playoffs. Benched Richards who deserved it.

 

[JD30]

The ones that needs to be accountable are fucking Sather and Schoenfeld...the clueless wonders. Sather has failed miserably (outside the fairytale St Louis run) in his 16 yrs here. The player development and the minor league roster is crap. The roster going in to this season was weak...and got weaker. Whose responsibility is it to fill the roster ? ...oh I forgot Gorton is the man now! Glen Sather has screwed this franchise over for years to come. Who knows what deals were there to be made or guys signed ? All we know is that he signed a guy with a history of injuries (Staal) to a long term deal...another guy in Girardi with many miles on him to a long term deal. Why ??? Because those were feel good signings with the fans because they were home grown guys...because it was the easy thing to do ? His failure to add another top 6 forward or any grit up front the past 2 years and his past colossal blunders outweigh his few "steals" that others brag about. Any method Sather has adopted, whether it be his yearly FA signing before the rules were changed or his "we're keeping our home grown guys" he HAS FAILED MISERBLY. A gm's job is to build out the roster and fill needs which he has never been able to do ! The roster this year was a complete joke and got exposed ...period. Serious reevaluation needs to take place and look into our "home grown" guys ...namely Stepan and Kreider that have proven to be way overrated as to what was expected of them.